


Into Darkness

by bluewerewolfprose, Nicolareed



Series: Drabbles In Darkness [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Best Friends, Chocobo station, Chocobros - Freeform, Dorks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hugs, Ignis cooking, Not Quite Home in Darkness, Other, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, sleepy noct, the chocobros are worried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 08:14:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10940520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluewerewolfprose/pseuds/bluewerewolfprose, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicolareed/pseuds/Nicolareed
Summary: In which Noct sleeps and his friends worry.





	Into Darkness

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Not Quite Home In Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9365735) by [Nicolareed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicolareed/pseuds/Nicolareed). 



> Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last piece, I'm so glad to have stumbled into this beautiful fandom! Don't forget to subscribe to the series Drabbles in Darkness (or just subscribe to Nicola and me!) or you won't get notifications when I post new works.
> 
> If you haven't read Nicola's fic Not Quite Home In Darkness, go do the thing, it is seriously amazing! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_This takes place between Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 of Nicolareed's Not Quite Home In Darkness_

* * *

 

“We should have made him wait.”

Gladio looked up at Ignis and frowned.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, keeping his voice low so Noct, who was sleeping only a few feet away, wouldn’t hear.

“We should never have allowed him to go haring off after Behemoths so soon after falling off a cliff,” said Ignis, prodding at the dinner with unwonted vigour. Gladio took a pull on his beer and sighed.

“You really think we could’ve stopped him?” he asked. “This isn’t the Noct we’re used to. This one’s got some spunk,” he added approvingly. Ignis looked up from the stove and directed a serious look at him.

“I’m well aware this isn’t the Noct we’re used to,” he said. Prompto appeared in the doorway, a towel round his neck, and his hair sticking up in all directions.

“What’s going on?” he asked. Ignis sniffed and turned the meatballs, splattering oil onto his shirt.

“Ignis thinks he’s a momma bear,” Gladio chuckled. Ignis turned his glare on Gladio, who quailed, holding up his hands in surrender.

“I’m concerned about Noct,” Ignis said. “He is pushing himself too hard.” Prompto grimaced and shuffled over to the seat next to Gladio.

“I don’t think you’re gonna be able to stop him,” he said. He stretched cautiously and groaned as his body reminded him of everything he’d put it through in the last twenty-four hours. “And can you blame him? After what he told us?” Ignis’ lips thinned and he turned away, making a great fuss over plating up their dinner.

“I understand his urgency,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we should stop looking after him. Our duties haven’t changed.” Prompto and Gladio exchanged uncomfortable glances, but for once it was Gladio who stood, stepping across the narrow room and sliding an arm around Ignis’ shoulders.

“Our duty is to Noct,” he said quietly. “But Noct has his duty as well. Gods know, if any one of us could keep him safe, we’d do it. But it’s not that simple.” Ignis sniffed loudly and leaned his head on Gladio’s shoulder for a moment—just one moment, the only sign of vulnerability he would allow himself.

“It ought to be that simple,” he said, his voice trembling. He let himself draw comfort from Gladio a second longer, then took a deep breath and stood straight again, reaching for the rice pot.

“What course of action do you suggest?” he asked, calm and business-like once again. Gladio shook his head at the sudden change in tone, but he wasn’t surprised.

“We’ll just have to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t take things so far he can’t come back,” he said, ferrying their dinner to the table and resuming his seat.

“He seems a lot stronger than before,” Prompto said. “And, I dunno, tougher?”

“Less whiny, at least,” Gladio said with a grin. Ignis raised an eyebrow at him and he raised a defensive hand. “What?” he said. “Like you haven’t noticed it too.”

“Well, perhaps Noct has developed a touch more stamina than I’d anticipated,” he admitted reluctantly. “I must confess that my concern is not merely for his physical health, or ours.” Prompto met his gaze, his usually cheerful expression grave.

“You’re talking about what Noct said about Niflheim.”

“Indeed.”

“You really think they’re gonna invade?” Prompto asked, sounding far younger than his years. Ignis sighed and shook his head.

“I honestly don’t know what to believe at this moment.”

They froze as Noct snorted in his sleep, shifting restlessly in his bed. After a moment, however, he settled again, his breathing once again deep and even.

“No matter what happens,” Prompto said, “we’ve got his back. That’s all I need to know.” Gladio clapped him approvingly on the shoulder, knocking the fork out of his hand.

“You got that right,” he said. Gladio held out his hand to Ignis, who took it and squeezed, as though holding on for dear life. “It’ll be okay, Specs,” he rumbled softly. “You don’t have to carry this one alone.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr @bluewerewolfprose, come say hi!


End file.
